2018-2019 Board of Trustees

Faculty/Staff

Devin Barrett is the Media Center Specialist and joined HDS in 2012. She was awarded "Teacher of the Year" for the 2015-2016 school year. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Lenoir-Rhyne University. In addition to her responsibilities in the library, Mrs. Barrett is also an assistant teacher.

Jessica Bartee is the math specialist at HDS and joined our family in 2016. She works with students and teachers during their math block.

Heather Beach, who was employed at HDS from 2003 to 2014, returned in 2016 as the kindergarten teacher. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Grand Canyon University.

Leanna began teaching at Hickory Day School in 2017. She worked professionally as a performer for 20 years, in dinner theatre, summer stock, regional theatre, and national Broadway touring companies (Cats, Jerome Robbin’s Broadway and Grease.) She retired from performing 15 years ago and was inspired to teach. In January, she will be taking on the role of Artistic Director for Hickory Ballet and Performing Arts. She moved to Hickory 9 years ago with her family, and she enjoys collecting eggs, almost daily, from her 5 hens.

Caroline Cook joined HDS family in the spring of 2017 and is the Public Relations, Marketing, Event Planning, and Administrative Assistant. She graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bahelor of Science in Communications.

Rachel Dick joined the HDS staff in 2012. She grew up in Venezuela, South America. She has worked as a pre-school teacher as well as a Spanish teacher and has served as a story teller at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library. She holds a B.A. in Architecture and has credentials in Early Childhood Education. She is currently an assistant teacher

Kat Enriquez joined Hickory Day School in 2016, and has 10 years’ experience with IB and the PYP. She received both her BS in elementary education and master's in Special Education from the University of Missouri. Kat is a native of Missouri, but she and her husband have lived across the world. She has taught at IB schools in Lebanon, Ghana, Mexico, South Korea, and Chile. Mrs. Enriquez and her husband, who hails from Mexico, love living in the Hickory area.

Tina Farr began teaching at HDS in 1999. Previously, she taught middle-school science and served as the PYP coordinator. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Carolina – Asheville and is a the 5th grade teacher. She served as a member of the Boy Scouts of America National Camp School Staff for Ecology.

Jessica Farlee joined the Hickory Day School family in 2014. She and her daughter, Chloe, returned to Jessica’s home town of Hickory after ten years of teaching second and third grades as well as reading/math intervention in third, fourth, and fifth grades at Farmington Woods, an IB PYP World School in Cary, NC. Jessica has a B.S. degree from Appalachian State University and teaches 4th grade at HDS.

Connie Frenier has been an assistant teacher at Hickory Day School since 2001.

Sara Gane joined the HDS family in 2014. She earned her Reading Specialist degree from Lenoir-Rhyne University and a Master's in Early Childhood Education from Western Carolina. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Meredith College. She is the Reading Specialist and Testing Coordinator, and was voted “Teacher of the Year” by her peers in 2014-2015.

Heather Galiszewski (Gal-a-shes-ki) began teaching at HDS in 2015. She has her Bachelor's Degree in English and Master's Degree in teaching English, both from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She and her husband recently relocated to Hickory from Pittsburgh, PA. She teaches 6th grade language arts and humanities, and was awarded "Teacher of the Year" for the 2016-2017 school year.

Kyle Herbein has been an assistant teacher at Hickory Day School since 2014. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.A. in Psychology from William Woods University and previously worked in marketing management.

Shelley Holtsclaw joined Hickory Day School in 2014 as the school's Director of Finance and Business Operations. She earned her BA in Accounting and Business Management from Lenoir-Rhyne University and her MBA from East Carolina University.

Evelyn King has been teaching at Hickory Day School since 1999. She graduated from NC State University with a B.S. in Mathematics Education. Prior to teaching at HDS, she was a teacher and mathematics department chairperson at Providence Day in Charlotte, NC. She currently teaches math and humanities to HDS 7th and 8th graders.

Robyn Lowery joined Hickory Day School in 2014 and is the 2nd grade teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Lenoir Rhyne University. She also holds her North Carolina Professional Licenses in the areas of K-6 Elementary Education and Special Education K-12 (General and Adapted Curriculum).

Adam Mackay began teaching at HDS in 2015. He is the art teacher as well as a co-owner of an artist group and gallery, West Union Art Studios, and proprietor of Barn Loft Pottery, both located in the quaint and culturally growing town of Morganton NC. Adam graduated with honors with Bachelors of Fine Art, concentrating in studio art and ceramics from Appalachian State University. Adam has taught craft design and ceramics classes at Western Piedmont Community College and worked with regionally notable potters and artists.

Taylor McKee began teaching at Hickory Day School in the spring of 2017 as the middle school science teacher. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in medical studies from Lenoir-Rhyne University. In addition to her undergraduate degree, she received her Master of Arts in Teaching and Master of Arts in Online Teaching and Instructional Design from LRU. She also is a researcher for the NC Academy of Science.

Jorge Rojas joined HDS in 1999 as the Spanish teacher. He earned a B.A. from the University of Veracruz, Mexico. Sr. Rojas teaches all levels of Spanish at the school.

Rick Seay joined the HDS family in 2015 as Head of School. A career educator, he taught Latin and European History at Hillwood High School, was founding Head of School at East Academy, and served as Academic Dean and Head of the High School at Montgomery Bell Academy, all in Nashville, Tennessee. Rick received his BA in Classical Languages and Theater from Vanderbilt University, where he also did masters' work in Classics. His MEd and EdD in Administration and Supervision were earned at Tennessee State University.

Alicia Summerow began teaching at Hickory Day School in 2013. She is a 2013 graduate of Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. She also has a background in music education and performing arts and directs the Sunshine Singers choir at Hickory Day School.

Anita Sutton joined HDS in 2016 and is the wellness/fitness teacher. Anita’s academic background is in recreational therapy, and she has worked with both Hickory Public Schools and Catawba County schools in various positions. She has an Associate degree in Recreational Therapy and is a licensed Recreational Therapy Assistant.

Sheran Thompson returned to education in 2010 after many years of experience in marketing and corporate communications. She teaches 7th and 8th grade language arts, and also coordinates yearbook production and publication. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Wake Forest University.

Alison Tompkins is Head of Lower School and the coordinator of the IBO Primary Years Programme. She began her career at HDS in 2010. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Education degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

After School Staff

Reagan Charlet

Sylvie Barton

Lindsey Parker

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